Latest news with #firefighter
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Fire department rallies for firefighter battling cancer
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — A longtime local firefighter is now in the fight of his life after being diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer. Now, his firehouse and his family are stepping in to help. Robert Cornelius is the kind of firefighter every department wishes to have. For the last 28 years, he hasn't just worn the badge for the Frontier Volunteer Fire Company — he's lived it. 'Rob has been a huge, huge player,' said Rich Silvaroli, former chief of the Frontier Volunteer Fire Company. 'He was on many calls among this neighborhood helping our neighbors here at Frontier.' Now, the man who has answered thousands of calls for help is facing something he can't battle on his own. In March, Cornelius was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer. It's a disease that's tragically common among the very heroes who run toward danger. 'When you hear it from one of your own members, it hurts,' said Alan Perry, chief of the Frontier Volunteer Fire Company. 'The only thing we can do is give back to him as much as he's given back to us.' Cornelius described the moment he found out the news. 'It was devastating just thinking about the girls and family,' said Cornelius. Day by day with rounds of chemotherapy and hospital visits, he continues to put his family first. 'When we were younger, it was him watching us struggle,' said Aurora Cornelius, one of Rob's daughters. 'If we fell and scraped our knee, he was the one to pick us up and put a Band-Aid on it and tell us we were going to be OK. Now, we kind of have to do the same for him.' In the Cornelius family, firefighting isn't just a duty, it's a legacy, five generations strong. It was never a question if his daughters would also become firefighters. 'Seeing my dad when I was younger, it was very inspiring,' said Faith Cornelius, Rob's daughter. 'It was pretty easy to know where I was heading.' 'It was just having the same people in your life and being able to fall back on them when something like this happens,' said Aurora Cornelius. At Frontier, the bond is described as a brotherhood, which means standing by each other when it matters most. 'It's a big family,' said Silvaroli. 'We come together, and when one of our family members gets sick, it means a lot to us and (we) want to help out as much as we can.' To help support Rob, the fire company is holding a benefit on July 19 from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m., with all profits going to Cornelius and his family. It will be a pasta dinner with basket raffles and the chance to give back to the man who has given so much. Family members said the response from the community has already been immense, with fire departments near and far donating what they can. 'Watching all these people come and support him and do these things for him, it just fills your heart with gladness,' said Rochelle Earp, Rob's sister. 'Firefighters and EMS meet you at your worst possible moment, and they're not jaded, they're amazing and just keep going.' Cornelius told WIVB News 4 that his chemotherapy has been working. He will undergo surgery on June 26. He's urging other firefighters across New York State to get tested. 'I'm going to be around for another 20 to 30 years,' said Cornelius. 'I want to be here for my kids, watch them get married and have kids of their own.' For tickets to the event, you can contact chief Alan Perry at 716-930-1109 or treasurer Denise Morreale at 716-622-6324. If you'd like to make a donation in the form of a check, you can make it out to Robert Cornelius. You can drop it off, along with baskets or pasta for the dinner, at 2176 Liberty Dr. There is also a GoFundMe family members have started to support Rob's journey, which you can find here. Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Fireman who won £200k on scratchcard battling ‘spendaholic' ex after she claimed he ‘lovebombed' her with lavish gifts
A FIREMAN who won £200,000 on a scratchcard is battling his "spendaholic" ex after she claimed he "lovebombed" her with lavish gifts. Heather Douglass splurged on exotic holidays and household renovations after Craig Titchener gave her a five-figure sum. 2 The nurse claimed Titchener gifted her the cash from his lucky win to "get back into her good books" after they rowed. But he insisted the money was supposed to be ploughed into premium bonds which they could both share the interest on. The pair battled it out in court over three cash transfers totalling £45,000 that were made in 2022. District Judge Charlotte Hart ruled that £40,000 of the money transferred was intended to be invested as Titchener intended. But she found a cash transfer of £5,000 was a thank you gift to Douglass, along with a £300 bottle of Lancome perfume. The court was told airport firefighter Titchener scooped the £200,000 win on a Winter Wonderlines scratchcard in 2019. He said he wanted to use the money to buy a house for him and his kids but after beginning a "volatile" 11-month relationship with Douglass, he handed her £45,000 of his cash in 2022. When the pair split, Titchener tried to claim the money back and believed it had been invested by Douglass. But she failed to pay up - claiming her ex had "lovebombed" her with generous presents and cash. She told him: "You sent me money because you were desperate to be in a relationship with me". But Titchener questioned in court why he would send "half my live savings just to be in a relationship with you". Douglass replied: "You want women to be with you and you struggle when you're on your own. "You're very controlling and this was a relationship wholly based on control. You believe that you can buy people." The nurse also claimed her ADHD gave her "an addiction to over-spending". She told the judge that with her ex's agreement, she spent the cash on holiday to Thailand for them both and household works. Douglass said: "When I'm elated I will buy extravagant things. I have a tendency to overspend. "If you came to my house, you'd see there are things coming there every day." But Titchener said he has "always fought hard for a better life" for him and his children. He continued: "When I won that £200,000 on the scratchcard, I didn't see it as just luck but as a life-changing opportunity. "I thought that now I can finally buy the family home I've always wanted and that intention to invest in a home has been consistent from the start." The judge said there was "very little evidence to support claims of a controlling or harassing relationship" and ruled that Douglass had failed to prove that the £40,000 was gifted to her. But she said Titchener had also tried to bolster his case by concocting a digital document that he claimed was a signed agreement between him and Douglass confirming that the transferred money was earmarked for investment. The case will return to court for an investigation into where the £40,000 went.
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Firefighter who gave £45,000 of £200,000 scratchcard win to his 'spendaholic' ex-girlfriend fights her in court to get it back
A firefighter who sent £45,000 of his scratchcard win to his 'spendaholic' ex faced her in court to get the cash back. Craig Titchener, 36, took his ex Heather Douglass to court after she claimed he 'lovebombed' her with £45,000 worth of gifts because he was 'desperate' to keep her. The nurse claims the Heathrow Airport firefighter gave her a five-figure sum to spend on herself after his lucky win to 'get back into her good books' when they quarrelled. She said she splashed out thousands on exotic holidays, household renovations and other expensive items with her ex-partner's approval, adding that ADHD gave her 'an addiction to overspending'. The now-estranged couple ended up facing off in court over three cash transfers totalling £45,000 made by him to her in 2022. Ms Douglass insisted were 'outright gifts,' while he claimed they were for investing on his behalf. Mr Titchener sued, saying he had paid her the sums as he respected her financial 'savvy' and wanted her to plough the cash into premium bonds or other high-interest savings, with both of them sharing the interest. After three days in court, District Judge Charlotte Hart ruled that £40,000 of the money transferred was intended to be invested, as Mr Titchener claimed, and was not meant as a gift. Craig Titchener, 36, took his ex to court after she claimed he 'lovebombed' her with £45,000 worth of gifts because he was 'desperate' to keep her Craig Titchener, 36, took his ex to court after she claimed he 'lovebombed' her with £45,000 worth of gifts because he was 'desperate' to keep her However, she went on to find that a third £5,000 cash transfer was a gift as claimed by Ms Douglass, intended as a thank you from Mr Titchener for her support during their relationship, along with a £300 bottle of Lancôme perfume. Airport firefighter Mr Titchener scored his big win after gambling on a Winter Wonderlines scratchcard in 2019, pocketing the top prize of £200,000. He told the court he wanted to use the money to buy a house for him and his children, but that after beginning a 'volatile' 11-month relationship with Miss Douglass, he handed her £45,000 of his cash in 2022. After they split, he began his Central London County Court bid to retrieve his cash, telling the judge that he had expected Miss Douglass to invest it for him. 'I am someone who has always fought hard for a better life, for both myself and my children,' he told the judge. 'When I won that £200,000 on the scratchcard, I didn't see it as just luck but as a life-changing opportunity. 'I thought that now I can finally buy the family home I've always wanted, and that intention to invest in a home has been consistent from the start.' But Miss Douglass fought the case, asserting that the payments were gifts, claiming that her ex 'lovebombed' her with generous presents and cash to 'get back into her good books' when they quarrelled, telling Mr Titchener: 'You sent me money because you were desperate to be in a relationship with me'. With both sides representing themselves in court and sitting just yards apart in a cramped courtroom, Mr Titchener challenged his former partner as she gave evidence, asking: 'Why would I have transferred half of my life savings just to be in a relationship with you?' She replied: 'You want women to be with you, and you struggle when you're on your own. 'You're very controlling and this was a relationship wholly based on control. You believe that you can buy people.' Miss Douglass, who suffers from ADHD, told the judge that she had spent much of the money with Mr Titchener's agreement, including on a Thai holiday for them both, household work and other items. 'Part of my diagnosis is that I have an addiction to overspending,' she told the court. 'When I'm elated I will buy extravagant things. I have a tendency to overspend. If you came to my house, you'd see there are things coming there every day.' Giving judgment, the judge said there was 'very little evidence to support claims of a controlling or harassing relationship' and ruled that Ms Douglass had failed to prove that the £40,000 was gifted to her. But she held that Mr Titchener had also tried to bolster his case by concocting a digital document which he claimed was a signed agreement between him and Miss Douglass confirming that the transferred money was earmarked for investment. 'I think he created that document to support his genuine case that the money was not outright gifted, but given to use for the purpose of investment,' said the judge. But although labelling this 'extremely damaging to the claimant's credibility,' Judge Hart said it did not alter the central fact that Mr Titchener had transferred the cash sums for investment purposes. 'There will be judgment for Mr Titchener with a sum to be assessed by an equitable account, she added. 'It's declared that £40,000 was transferred by the claimant to the defendant and held in a bare trust for his benefit, to be invested in premium bonds or high interest savings.' On top of the disputed money, the pair also ended up bickering over a 500ml 'prestige' bottle of Lancôme perfume, which Mr Titchener likewise labelled an investment, while Ms Douglass said it was a gift of her favourite scent. Mr Titchener said the scent, bought for around £300 at auction. was 'a prestige bottle bought with the intention of investment,' but Ms Douglass said she wore the perfume 'all the time' and that her ex had told her his car 'smells like you now' after a similar bottle leaked in it. 'I used this perfume throughout my relationship with him,' she said in her closing arguments to the court. Finding against Mr Titchener in relation to the 'limited edition' perfume, the judge decided this was a present from the firefighter, saying: 'It's conceded that this is Ms Douglass' perfume of choice and on the balance of probabilities I find that this was a gift.' Although Mr Titchener had launched his bid to retrieve his cash transfers, the judge decided there must be a further court hearing to determine whether Ms Douglass may have spent some of her ex's £40,000 stake with his consent. The case will return to court for an investigation into where the £40,000 went, the judge noting that some £19,000 is still not accounted for, although £21,000 had been traced going into Ms Douglass' savings accounts.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Okolona Fire Captain Chris Berry drowns during boating, fishing trip
Okolona Fire Protection District Captain Chris Berry, 35, drowned this week while on a fishing and boating trip. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officers responded to a call on Dale Hollow Lake, which is located on the Kentucky and Tennessee border, reporting a man had gone overboard near the First Island area early June 18. Berry and his friends had taken a boat out late the evening of June 17, and Berry reportedly stumbled and fell into the water. The officers recovered his body around 8:30 a.m. June 18, and it was later taken to the Nashville Medical Examiner's Office. 'We are crushed by this tragedy,' said Okolona Fire Protection District Chief Mark Little. 'To our cherished friends, family, and the Emergency Responders Committee, words cannot adequately express the depth of our gratitude for the outpouring of sympathy and support you have shown to both the Berry and Okolona Fire families during this incredibly difficult time.' Berry was a nine-year veteran of the Okolona Fire Protection District. He began his fire service career in 2011 as a volunteer firefighter with the Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District, and then later he joined the McMahan Fire Protection District in 2013. He was a member of several specialized rescue teams, including hazmat technician, swift water rescue, confined space rescue and rope rescue. Berry received a Fire Life Saver Award in 2018 and earned a Unit Citation in 2018 and 2023 for his outstanding service. Berry leaves behind a wife of six years, his biological parents, a stepfather, a sister, a mother and father-in-law and an extensive Fire and EMS family. Some members of the Okolona Fire Protection District will travel to Nashville on Friday morning to bring Berry's body home. A brief procession past Okolona Fire Station 2, 10508 Preston Highway, is expected to take place mid- to late afternoon. Funeral arrangements are still pending. Reach Courier Journal reporter Maggie Menderski at mmenderski@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Okolona Fire Captain Chris Berry drowns at Dale Hollow Lake
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Norfolk WW2 firefighter recognised with medal from King Charles III
A firefighter who served at a village station during World War Two has been recognised by King Charles Betts, who worked at Wroxham Fire Station in Norfolk, was presented with a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 97-year-old joined the village's fire station in 1942 when the county was part of the National Fire Service. Talking about the start of his career, Mr Betts said: "When I started at Wroxham during the war, we slept there in hammocks." Mr Betts, who still lives in the village, served at the service until 1963, with the fire at Horstead Mill being one of his final calls. Talking about his role during WW2, he added: "I was on the control and when the message came in that the enemy was coming, I had to ring up five fire stations to tell them. "I then had to ring them all back to tell them when they were gone."He was presented with the medal at Carrow Fire Station, in Norwich, on behalf of the King. His grandson, who researched his grandfather's career, said: "He saw the original fire station being built at Wroxham when he went up there on a holiday from the children's home where he lived. "He ended up being fostered and then adopted by the people he stayed with – and his foster-father, Mr Blake, was a leading fire officer at Wroxham."Mr Betts married his wife in 1949, and the pair had two children. Their son Christopher, who followed his father into the fire service, also served at the station. He lost his life during a fire at The Chequers Hainford pub in 1987. Scott Norman, deputy chief fire officer at Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We'd like to thank you for your service, which started during wartime, and for your commitment to the people of Wroxham and the surrounding area."The loss of your son Christopher was such a sacrifice. I hope he is smiling down on us here today." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
